It is a stemless perennial herb, with numerous brown, thong-like roots and leaves emerging from the silky crown. The leaves are very variable, usually stalked, the upper surface is hairy at first, becoming smooth, and the lower surface is never densely hairy. The inflorescence stalks are up to 45 cm long, smooth at the base becoming hairy towards the apex, sometimes with glandular hairs ending in a small knob. The flower heads are solitary, with an outer series of long female ray-florets usually white inside and reddish or purplish on the margins and outside (in the northern areas), and often mauve or purplish in the Mpumalanga and KZN regions.

The central florets are numerous, functionally male, with whitish or purplish corollas. The fruit (known as a cypsela) is about 6 mm. long, somewhat flattened, and the pappus (the hairy parachute-like appendage) is dark purple or cream. Flowering occurs mostly in the Spring (September to November), but sporadic flowering may be observed throughout the year.